Virus
by Firelizard46
Summary: When a sickness hits the woodland realm, will Thranduil lose his only son, Legolas, or will Elrond be gotten in time to save him?
1. Chapter 1

Thranduil knew something was wrong the minute he saw his most trusted healer heading his way.

"What's wrong? Is it Legolas? How badly is he hurt?" Thranduil asks, rushing forward to meet the healer.

"Legolas isn't hurt this time, my Lord. I came to warn you that there seems to be a really bad virus going through the land," the healer says, bowing.

"How many has come down with it?" Thranduil asks, thinking about Legolas, his only child, who was sickly when first born.

"We've had twenty confirmed cases, my Lord, We've sadly already lost two," the healer says, also thinking of the small elfling, Legolas.

"What? Is it really that bad?" Thranduil asks, grasping a hold of the pendant he always wore on a chain, hand shaped and painted leaf he got from Legolas.

"It seems to progress at different rates with different elves. It was a young elfling and an elder that we lost. It seems to hit them the easiest and hardest," the healer says, which worried Thranduil.

"Have you found a way to fight it yet?" Thranduil asks.

"No, we haven't. my Lord. I have come here to request we call on Lord Elrond. He may be the one who can come up with a cure. I just fear that we may spread the virus if we send for him, my Lord," the healer says, looking at his feet.

"I'll send one of my personal guards. Since they have been here in the palace, they will not have come into contact with this virus. We need to get everyone who is ill away from the healthy to decrease the chance of it spreading," Thranduil says, leading the healer to the rooms of his personal guard.

"My Lord," the guard says, opening the door and bowing.

"I need you to ride for Rivendell as soon as you can," Thranduil says.

"What for, my Lord?" the guard asks, grabbing a pack he always has ready for such occasions.

"I need you to get Elrond and bring him as fast as you can," Thranduil said, leading the way to the kitchen to get supplies.

"Is it about the virus, my Lord?" the guard asks, frowning.

"Yes, it is. How do you know about it?" Thranduil says as they near the kitchen.

"I heard some of the other guards talking about it," the guard says. They are almost to the kitchen when they hear a scream, which makes them all broke out into a run. They rush into the kitchen to see all the kitchen staff huddled around the chef and someone they can't fully see.

"What happened?" the guard asks, pushing his way into the circle only to freeze once he sees the figure the chef is holding.

"I don't know what happened. One minute he was asking for some sweets and the next he collapsed," the chef says as the healer and Thranduil move to the other side of the chef to see who has collapsed.

"Let me see him," the healer says, kneeling next to the young elfling as the chef lays him down.

"I'm sorry, my Lord," the chef says, backing away to give room for the healer to work. Thranduil quickly moves to where the chef just moved from and brushes very familiar blonde hair off the face of the elfling.

"No," Thranduil says, freezing when he sees the face clearly. After a few seconds, Thranduil scoops up the elfling into his arms and holds him close, fearing the worst.

"My Lord, we need to get him to his room, so we can figure out what we're dealing with," the healer says. Thranduil nods and picks up with elfling, his son, Legolas.

"I'll stop by before I head out, my Lord," the guard says. Thranduil and the healer head to Legolas' room. When they get here, Thranduil carefully lays Legolas down onto his bed and brushed his hair off his face.

"Is it the virus that caused this?" Thranduil asks, sitting on the bed next to his precious only child.

"I don't know for sure, but I would say yes, my Lord," the healer says, feeling Legolas' forehead.

"How long does he have before… before…," Thranduil says, failing to complete the sentence.

"It took ten days to kill the elfling that died, but where his body is weaker, it's hard to say how long he has, my Lord," the healer says as the guard walks in.

"I will ride straight there and back, my Lord. I shall arrive with Lord Elrond in five days. I'll even send a bird a head, so Elrond is ready," the guard says, gazing sadly down at Legolas.

"Please, be quick but be careful," Thranduil said, watching his guard gaze down at his son.

"He's going to need Lord Elrond fast," the healer says, placing his hand on the guard's arm, which causes the guard to jump. The guard looks at the healer before turning and running out of the room.

"Be quick, my friend," Thranduil said, looking out the window and watching the guard ride hard out of the village.

"He'll get him in time. We just need to help Legolas hold out until they get back," the healer says, checking Legolas' temperature, pulse, and breathing.


	2. Chapter 2

Thranduil stays by Legolas' side as they wait for the guard to bring back Elrond. As they wait, four more die, many more get sick, and Legolas keeps getting worse. Elrond and guard aren't due to arrive for several more days, and Thranduil is getting more worried as Legolas' health keeps getting worse.

"My beautiful little green leaf. I feel so selfish because I want you to keep fighting to stay with me, but you must know that you may let go if you wish to join your Nana. I want you to be happy, little one, and if that isn't with me, I understand," Thranduil says, kissing Legolas' burning forehead. He then gets up and wonders to stand in front of the open window, enjoying the cool air coming through it. The sound of the door opening, causes him to turn and his knees try to buckle under him. The healer, who had just come in, rushes over to him and helps him to the second bed they had put into the room.

"Are you ok, my Lord," the healer asks, feeling Thranduil's forehead and frowning.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired," Thranduil says, frowning as the doctor keeps looking him over.

"I'm sorry to say, my Lord, that this is not fatigue. You are showing the beginning signs of the virus," the healer says, moving to check on Legolas. They both jump when they suddenly hear a lot of noise out in the hallway. Thranduil stands up as the door is flung open to reveal Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond's twin sons.

"They are both here, Ada," Elrohir said, moving to Thranduil's side when he wobbles. Elladan moves to look down at Legolas as Elrond enters the room.

"You weren't supposed to be here for several more days,' Thranduil says when Elrond walks over and makes him sit back down.

"Where is the guard?" the healer asks, standing by the window.

"He rode himself to exhaustion, so he is back in my land, resting. He will be slowly coming this way, tomorrow," Elrond says, checking Thranduil out.

"Please, help him, Elrond," Thranduil says as Elrond moves over to Legolas.

"I'm going to try my hardest, but I need to know all I can about this virus. I think I know what it is, but I want to know for sure," Elrond says, sitting on the edge of the bed Legolas is laying on.

"It starts by making the person weak. They start to develop a fever and loses all appetite. The sickness seems to attack the lungs the worse, as you can hear," the healer says, pointing out the raspy quality to Legolas' breathing.

"Have you done anything to try to fight this?" Elrond asks, moving to hold Legolas up as he starts coughing but Elladan beats him to it.

"We've tried all of our basic herbs but nothing is working," the healer says as Elrond listens to Legolas' heart and breathing.

"Can you save him, Ada?" Elrohir asked, sitting next to Thranduil.

"This appears to be the same sickness that hit us last month. I know how to beat it. I'm just afraid of how weak he is," Elrond says, running his hand through Legolas' hair.

"What do you need, and I'll get it," the healer says, frowning when Thranduil sways.

"This is a complete list of everything I need," Elrond says, jumping up when Thranduil collapses. Elrohir quickly catches him and lays him down as Elrond moves over.

"Ada?" Elrohir asked, moving out of Elrond's way.

"How long has he been sick?" Elrond asks, looking Thranduil over.

"He just started showing symptoms right before you arrived, but he's exhausted himself taking care of Legolas," the healer says, laying a hand on his chest, over his heart.

"I need these ingredients, fast," Elrond says, frowning down at his unconscious friend. The healer quickly leaves, and Elrond sits beside Thranduil, brushing the hair from his friend's face.

"They'll be alright, right, Ada?" Elrohir asked, moving over to stand by his twin.

"You know I won't lie to you, so I will honestly tell you it will be hard for them to recover from this. Legolas may never fully recover from this," Elrond says, looking over at Legolas.


	3. Chapter 3

Once the healer gets back with the items needed, Elrond quickly gets to work making the medicine, having the healer watch everything he does. Elrond then quickly prepares a dose for Legolas and a dose for Thranduil.

"Take what is left, go to the other healers, show them how to make it, and get your people better," Elrond says, handing the rest of the medicine to the healer before moving over to Legolas.

"I will hold him up for you, Ada," Elladan said, moving more onto the bed and lifting Legolas' small body into a sitting position. Elrond opens Legolas' mouth and pours the medicine in, rubbing Legolas' throat to get him to drink. Once Legolas is finished, Elrond moves over to Thranduil and gives him the medicine, which causes Thranduil to wake up.

"Legolas?" he says weakly.

"He's going to be alright, Thranduil. Rest, and you will be better in a couple of days," Elrond says, smiling down at his friend. Everyone who was sick is all better two days later, and Thranduil us up and running his realm again. Everyone makes a full recovery, including Legolas, who is currently sitting on his dad's lap while they have dinner with Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir.

"Can I have some juice, Ada," Legolas asks, eating on some bread.

"As long as you drink it slowly," Thranduil says, holding a cup of juice up to Legolas, who takes small drinks.

"How are you feeling today, Legolas?" Elladan asks, handing Legolas another piece of bread.

"Still sleepy," Legolas says, leaning into his dad.

"It may take you a few more days to get your strength back," Elrond says, smiling when Thranduil wraps an arm around his son.

"I know I've already said this, but thank you, Elrond. You saved my son's life twice now," Thranduil says, kissing the top of Legolas' head.


End file.
